It’s Monday morning. Many Pastors are enjoying a much needed rest on their day off. This is not only the day off for many but after a long and busy Easter season it is a break from the extra hours of planning and preparation for special services and big events. But for me it is another Monday in my office evaluating how we did yesterday.

I question myself for even thinking those words. Is it really about “how we did on Easter Sunday?” Should we think that way? After all, what does that really mean? How do we measure that? Is it about how many people came to service? Maybe we measure how many got saved? Do we compare ourselves to other churches? Just what do we measure?

I have been greatly encouraged to read of the “successes” of the churches in our district who have stepped out in faith and seen the Lord show up and do mighty things. I am privileged to have the opportunity to pray for and sometimes with them as they look to God for guidance and direction and as they celebrate the blessings God is pouring out on the work He has called them to. But sometimes when we celebrate with others we can find ourselves questioning ourselves. Why am I not experiencing those same things? And therein lies the trouble with asking “how we did yesterday.”

But today I am reflecting on some things that God is teaching me and celebrating what He is doing here. Easter Sunday in North Kingsville was exciting. We did things very different than normal. Our service was void of most of the normal elements. We didn’t have our normal prayer times in the service. We didn’t have our normal scripture reading. We didn’t even take time to pass offering plates. And the message time? Not 30-40 minutes of preaching the Word of God but 4-5 minutes of giving the Gospel.

So what did we do in the shortest church service we have had in over 3 years? We sang songs of praise and worship. Our praise team shared what the scriptures say through brief readings of Old Testament and New Testament texts and song introductions. We celebrated the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ. It was a great service. It was so much fun and filled with great excitement.

In light of all that I still ask the question, “How did we do?” In response to that question God gave me this thought. “The Holy Spirit had freedom to move through His people. You did well.” We invited people to meet Christ. We asked people who wanted to make a decision for Him to come to a room after the service so we could speak to them. When the service was over one of the elder’s wives came to me and asked, “Do you know where my husband is?” Without thought I said, “I am sure he is in the other room leading someone to Christ.” I hadn’t yet made it through the crowd to know if anyone showed up in the prayer room but I was not at all surprised when this elder introduced me to a young lady who he had just prayed with to receive Christ.

I asked her who brought her to service and was also not surprised at the answer when she named one of the faithful. We had the largest crowd on Easter that we have had in over 5 years. That wasn’t an accident. Our people have really started to understand that if we are going to reach the over 40,000 unchurched in our community for Christ, it will take the prayers, encouragement, service, and invitations of everyone.